Abstract
This study is one of the very first that investigates the effects of heavy metal pollution on food consumption and reproduction of terrestrial snails under semi-realistic field conditions. Two experiments were carried out using snails (Cepaea nemoralis) and food (Urtica dioica leaves) from different metal polluted locations and one reference location. The first experiment showed that both polluted and reference snails fed on high-metal leaves from a highly polluted location had significantly lower consumption rates than snails consuming leaves from the reference location. In the second experiment, snails from both locations used in the consumption experiment and from two low-polluted locations were kept on native soil and food in order to reproduce. No negative effect of heavy metal pollution on clutch size was found for the snails from the reference location and the low-polluted locations. Snails from the highly polluted location laid no eggs. This suggests that at high levels of metal pollution, reproduction is strongly negatively affected. We suggest that the absence of egg laying by snails from the highly polluted location results from a combination of decreased consumption and an increased demand of energy for the accumulation and detoxification of metals (decreased scope for growth).
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Acknowledgements
Paul and Riekie Notten, Martijn Corvers, Aafke Brader, Joseé Koolhaas and Cora Korsman are greatly appreciated for their assistance in the field. Jurgen van Hal is acknowledged for his share in taking care of the snails and laboratory activities. We would like to thank the Dutch Forestry Service (SBB) and the Waterworks Brabantse Biesbosch (WBB) for their permission to carry out the research in their territory. Thanks to Kees van Gestel for critically reviewing an earlier draft of this paper. This research was financially supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), and was performed within the Stimulation Programme System-oriented Ecotoxicological Research (SSEO: contract no. 014.23.071).
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Notten, M.J.M., Oosthoek, A.J.P., Rozema, J. et al. Heavy metal pollution affects consumption and reproduction of the landsnail Cepaea nemoralis fed on naturally polluted Urtica dioica leaves. Ecotoxicology 15, 295–304 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-006-0059-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-006-0059-3